Smile customer seeking new bank

Armchair23

Hello all, I'm a long time Smile customer attracted initially because of online banking (it has been quite a while !) and an ethical stance.
Well online banking has caught up everywhere and the ethical stance has vanished with Smile plus there's an uncertain future.
I'm toying with Nationwide but I'd appreciate comments on their customer service and would welcome your thoughts.
I've done Barclays and Lloyds in the past and wouldn't trust them to the end of my street with a fiver. But times change and your current experience is appreciated.
Yes I am a wrinkly but also reasonably tech savvy and not looking for switching payouts over reliable service. And I do know I'm lucky to not need an overdraft.
Helpful comments very welcome .

jamie_02

I've always had exceptional customer service from Nationwide. Internet banking is clear and simple, and telephone banking very helpful. Branches look smart and they have some good value products. Ethically they're up there as you'll own part of the business. Get a friend to recommend you and you'll both get £100.

Don80

Armchair23 wrote: »

Hello all, I'm a long time Smile customer attracted initially because of online banking (it has been quite a while !) and an ethical stance.
Well online banking has caught up everywhere and the ethical stance has vanished with Smile plus there's an uncertain future.
I'm toying with Nationwide but I'd appreciate comments on their customer service and would welcome your thoughts.
I've done Barclays and Lloyds in the past and wouldn't trust them to the end of my street with a fiver. But times change and your current experience is appreciated.
Yes I am a wrinkly but also reasonably tech savvy and not looking for switching payouts over reliable service. And I do know I'm lucky to not need an overdraft.
Helpful comments very welcome .

Hi. You should check out the TSB switch deal on MSE at the moment, I have had an account with them for a few years and have found them to be really good.

WillBur82

I am in a similar position to you re Smile and would agree with Jamie_02. I still use Smile and starred with them for similar reasons as you and they still receive my wage packet. However it's a matter of time before I'll be switching too I think.

Nationwide is ethical (has similar ranking to Smile on ethicalconsumer website). I have had an account with them since 2006 and have started to use their website more as also have a loan and my mortgage with them. I rate their online banking above Smile's. You have the option of using the card-reader thing to log on each time. Which suits me and my bad memory for passwords (you can log on with passwords if the card-reader is not for you).

I recently referred my wife to Nationwide and we both got £100 too!

If I end up switching, I would like to take advantage of some form of incentive and as I'm already a customer of a Nationwide current account, I'm thinking of going elsewhere for a year. Considering TSB's current offer.

Lastly, it's such a shame about what's happened/happening at the Co-op - I feel the country could do with more cooperative/mutual banking organisations.

Zanderman

WillBur82 wrote: »

....
I recently referred my wife to Nationwide and we both got £100 too!

If I end up switching, I would like to take advantage of some form of incentive and as I'm already a customer of a Nationwide current account, I'm thinking of going elsewhere for a year. Considering TSB's current offer......

For WillBur82, you can still have an incentive to switch to Nationwide, even if you already have an account with them. Get your wife to refer you....

Armchair23

I'm sad to see the proper co-operative movement lose it's way, I don't think Smile deserves any loyalty as it stands.
A family member is moving to Nationwide and I expect we'll all follow suit in the family .
It's a bit sad that Triodos is the only other option and if Nationwide offer £200 for account openings it doesn't come from mystical beings so they are making the money from people who can probably ill afford it.

Stuart_W

Armchair23 wrote: »

I'm sad to see the proper co-operative movement lose it's way, I don't think Smile deserves any loyalty as it stands.
A family member is moving to Nationwide and I expect we'll all follow suit in the family .
It's a bit sad that Triodos is the only other option and if Nationwide offer £200 for account openings it doesn't come from mystical beings so they are making the money from people who can probably ill afford it.

I am sticking with Co-op bank for now (I "internally" switched from Co-op to smile in 1999 for better interest rates and then back again in Feb 2016 following Everyday Rewards launch).

It is interesting that Co-op bank is not viewed as ethical by some due its now mainly private (hedge fund) ownership. Triodos is also privately owned by shareholders. I would prefer mutual ownership, but then Nationwide has similar issues to Co-op in terms of ppi mis selling, board room pay etc. It all depends what your ethical criteria are, which will always be exceptionally subjective. I personally like the idea that Co-op can reassure me that whilst they have my money they won't use it to fund a load of nasty things I don't like.

My main reason for sticking for now is that however the current capital issue is resolved - and it is looking like a debt for equity swap followed by a possible sale of some assets to varying parties from what I can see - everyone involved is going to be aware that great effort will be needed to persuade folk to stay.

Total hedge fund ownership, or current accounts sold off to virgin after the equity swap, or whatever it is, will prompt many folk to control their own switch rather than have one forced upon them. Even if the bank continues stand alone, surely a name change will be necessary anyway ( you never know, still can't rule out the whole bank becoming smile ).

They will need to incentivise customers to stay - either through a bonus, and improvement to everyday rewards, or something.

So I'm sticking for now to see what happens. And if they don't offer anything, never mind, nothing lost, and I switch anyway using one of the deals around.

System

Stuart_W wrote: »

They will need to incentivise customers to stay - either through a bonus, and improvement to everyday rewards, or something.

So I'm sticking for now to see what happens. And if they don't offer anything, never mind, nothing lost, and I switch anyway using one of the deals around.

I am waiting to see what happens...Co-op are closing my branch this week - so was hoping that Virgin or Clydesdale would pick them up as both have branch network. Post Office access is sufficient in the interim.